Arsenal’s season came to a close this past weekend with the Gunners taking second place in the Premier League for the second year in a row and making the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Reports suggest that the club will get roughly 200M euros for their placement in the PL, and 91M euros for their UCL campaign, adding up to about 291M euros worth of prize money for their season. That is not a bad haul for the club. Obviously this won’t all be put towards transfers, but Arsenal are set to be active in the transfer market once again to try and finally push them over the edge to take home some hardware next season. The club is set to try and obtain reinforcements in each phase of play: a backup goalkeeper, a defender (most likely left sided), a midfielder, and an attacker. In January, it was thought that the club would look to splash the majority of their budget on a striker. I personally was never convinced that a proverbial true number 9 such as Victor Gyokeres or Alex Isak would be the answer to all of our problems, and now with the performances of Kai Havertz (15 G/A in his last 13 games), it looks like there may be more pressing issues to address.
Personally, I feel that Arsenal’s midfield should be the area that they focus heavily on. In 2024 when they began to really pick up form, the midfield mostly consisted of Thomas Partey playing the lone 6 role, with Declan Rice moving further up the pitch as the left sided 8, and Martin Ødegaard playing a hybrid 8/10 role on the right. There was a clear tactical shift from the 2022/23 season to this most recent one. In 2022/23, Oleksandr Zinchenko was a key player, meandering around the pitch on offense and creating overloads in positions to help breakdown opposing defenses. This worked brilliantly, as Arsenal broke their premier league goal record with 88 goals for, but also allowed 43 goals against, as Zinchenko’s offensive antics also left Arsenal open at the back. So to rectify this, Arteta played Zinchenko a lot less (2,136 minutes in 22/23, 1,725 in 23/24) and instead played center back hybrids Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jakub Kiwior at left back. The defense was much better this year with the change, only letting in 29 goals against. The introduction of Declan Rice was also helped improve the defense and the control Arsenal had on games.
The changes in the midfield went a long way in fixing some of Arsenal’s issues. However, even though Jorginho has just renewed his deal, he is still 32 years old, and Thomas Partey will be 31 while also having fitness issues. Combine that with the uncertain futures of Emile Smith-Rowe and Fabio Vieira, Arsenal are going to need at least one reinforcement in that area. For me there is a question of whether this signing should be a more attacking focused 8, or a more defensive focused 6. Last summer, It looked like Arteta went the 8 route with Kai Havertz, but that didn’t work, and Declan Rice has played well as an 8 this season. I will offer relatively brief analysis and opinions on a few prospects that fit a few different styles and provide my opinions on which direction Arsenal should go. Deeper dives will come for a few of the more heavily touted prospects.
The following 2 players would be best suited to play the lone 6 role at the base of Arsenal’s midfield. The player in this role needs to be sound defensively; they need to be great tacklers while also reading the game as it comes to them to step into passing lanes to intercept passes after the 10 and 8 are bypassed. They need to be comfortable on both sides of the field and cover a lot of lateral ground. Offensively they need to be comfortable with the ball under pressure, often playing with their back to the play. They need to take in information and make the right decision in a split second.
One of the top defensive midfield prospects in club football at this moment, Martin Zubimendi is reported to be near the top of Arteta’s shortlist and for good reason. The Spanish midfielder is 25 years of age and has become on of the first names on the Real Sociedad team sheet. He fits the profile of player that Arsenal typically look for. There are many strengths to his game but a few weaknesses as well.
Zubimendi is a true Spanish 6, often drawing comparisons to Sergio Busquets. He is very composed under pressure and considered an elite passer.
His stats don’t really jump out as anything fantastic, but that is often the case with this type of player. Watching him play he’s very smooth and composed on the ball, but he makes his task look relatively simple, so if you aren’t paying attention, you may not realize what he’s doing. His task on offense is to connect the defense to the attack in buildup. He does so by taking up deep central positions.
As you can see here, he is surrounded by 4 defenders, but still he wants the ball. He is very adept at providing his teammates with a pressure release valve that, speaking as a former center back, is very appreciated. From here he either turns and passes forward himself, but more often he plays the way he faces and gives the ball to someone with more time and space. As most Spanish players are taught, he keeps it simple and tidy, using the pace of the ball to bypass defenders rather than dribbling or other more complicated methods.
Defensively his task is to breakup play and cut passing lanes as a protective layer in front of the center backs. At the base of the midfield, his main job is to intercept passes and slow down the opposition once they bypass the attackers. Here is an example:
The opposition has bypassed the forward line as well as the more attacking midfield players. Zubimendi is the last player before the defense to stop a developing attack for the opposition.
He does well, as the angle he takes forces the player wide and ultimately into a duel, which Zubimendi wins. His understanding of his position and space allow him to shut down attacks before they start. This is a quality Arteta no doubt loves; when his players lose duels, he gets upset and Zubimendi does well in his. He is in the 81st percentile for percentage of dribblers tackled.
The main downside to his play is his physicality. He is a silky player, not an imposing one, which could hinder his success in the premier league. Premier league games are also often faster paced, and in some of the more end-to-end games they have played in such as the UCL knockout ties against PSG, those games kind of passed him by. The thing that probably sinks this transfer is his reluctance to leave Spain. Arsenal have been rumored to be willing to pay the release clause of 60M euros, but Zubimendi has been tipped to go to Barcelona and is also happy at Sociedad. If he were to come to the Emirates, he could slot into the number 6 role that Partey currently plays with ease. He is certainly an option, but their are probably easier, and better deals to be done
The next prospect is the latest gem from the Portuguese talent factory that is Benfica. Joao Neves is just 19 years of age, but you’d never know that watching him play. He is everywhere on the defensive side of the ball, making tackles and interceptions all across the pitch. Though he stands at just 5’9”, he imposes himself on every game.
Tactically, Benfica set up in a 4-2-3-1 most often, and Neves plays as part of a double pivot. This means that Neves has a more opportunity to wander forward and be more involved in the attack, as the second half of his pivot can cover him defensively. As you can see in the figure above, he is a very well-rounded player and has a tremendous ability to control games.
With the ball, Joao Neves is a very calm, tidy player. Benfica play very fluidly, so he pops up in different areas all across the pitch looking to get on the ball. He is a master at progressing the ball forward, either by dribbling or passing.
Here he uses spectacular awareness and technique to break two lines of defense a take almost every defender out of the play. His brain works fast, as he recognizes the run and the fact that he needs to play the pass one touch before the passing lane closes and his runner becomes offside, and executes it to perfection. Neves is an elite and high-volume passer as he is in the 98th percentile for passes attempted, and 99th for passes completed.
Neves often progresses the ball through his dribbling skills as well. He uses his diminutive stature to shield the ball and wriggle out of tight spaces. Below is an example of him using this skillset
This is the area of his game that I feel sets him apart from the likes of Martin Zubimendi. Instead of making a simple pass to just retain possession, Neves bursts forward into space to launch an attack. He is a very versatile player when it comes to progression on offense. He is often seen as a 6 due to his low G/A output, but I believe he has the skills to develop into an 8 if his next team needs him to.
Joao Neves does a lot of good work without the ball. Benfica are one of the highest possesion teams in Europe with an average possession of over 59%, which Neves plays a large role in. Outside of being a great passer, he is in the 99th percentile for tackles in the final 3rd, and 96th percentile for tackles won period. This means that when Benfica lose the ball, Neves is often able to win it back quickly and in dangerous areas. On of his weaknesses is 1v1 defending, as he is not proficient at tackling dribblers. His overall defensive game is very sound, but I do worry about his size in the Premier League
Overall, Neves is a great all around midfielder who appears to have room for growth as he gains more experienced. He is no doubt one of the top midfield prospects in the world and wherever he goes, I believe he has the tools to thrive. However, I don’t feel like it should be Arsenal. He’s a great player, but I feel that he would be redundant, as he is very similar to Declan Rice. Watching them both play they are both proficient dribblers, good passers, and have a unique ability to control and read games. They are both probably better suited for the 6 role, but have some traits and adaptability to play the 8. Declan Rice is a more experienced, premier league bred version of Joao Neves, and I think Arsenal should look at a player that would offer something different to the squad. Neves would also cost a sizable amount, as Benfica are stern in negotiations, and he will not be short of potential suitors.
The next two players on the list are a little more versatile and have some question marks about where they would be played in the midfield, likely hinging on where Arteta envisions Rice playing. I believe that, based on what I saw at the end of the season and from what I understand about Arteta’s emphasis on controlling games, Rice will primarily lineup as the 8 next season. However, I am of the opinion he should lineup at the 6. When you watch Rice play, it is clear what his strengths are. One of his strengths is his ball carrying, as he can release pressure by going on one of his signature driving dribbles up the field as he winds through the opposition press. This is something he would be able to do much less as a 6. However, the biggest strength of his game is the way he understands it defensively. Granted he was playing on a much lower possession team, but in the 2022-2023 season, he was in the 93rd percentile for Interceptions and dribblers tackled. He was a man among boys at times the way he would pick off passes, make tackles, and just stop attacks single-handedly. While he could play the 8 and grow into a more offensive role, he is everything you need in a 6, and I still think that his best performances came in that role for Arsenal, even if the team wasn’t firing in all cylinders yet. Perhaps the coaching staff feels that Rice can develop certain skills required to play the 8, but I just don’t think it is where his skills are maximized, and these next two players I feel have some defensive shortcomings that Rice doesn’t have, while also having more to offer offensively.
The next player on the list is one that Arsenal fans will no doubt be familiar with. Bruno Guimarāes is a 26 year-old Brazilian midfielder from Newcastle who would cost roughly 80M-100M British pounds to bring to the club. He has made an impression on many Arsenal fans (myself included) with his on-field antics and dirty play in recent memory. The midfielder is someone that Arteta likes, as he was heavily linked with a move to the Emirates back in January 2022 for 40M British pounds before signing with Newcastle. He has more than proven himself to be an asset in the premier league, and you know what you are going to get from him in the league, which is more than can be said for the previous two prospects. So is he the right fit for Arsenal?
Newcastle’s tactical setup and gameplan is quite different from Arsenal’s despite deploying a 4-3-3 as well. Guimaraes says he enjoys playing further up the pitch, but with the suspension of Sandro Tonali, he was often forced to play in the middle of their midfield 3. Newcastle like to play on the transition, going forward and long as quickly as possible. Their midfielders are tasked with covering a lot of ground, and they play quite fluidly, often popping up in different areas on the pitch, and they cover for each other. They don’t really look to possess the ball unless they are in the attacking third. Because of this their games often look a bit frantic, but this usually benefits them especially if the raucous crowd of St. James’s Park is behind them.
A report from David Ornstein back in May suggested that Arsenal have Bruno near the top of their list if they decide to recruit a 6, while also noting that he could play the 8. I personally believe his best position would be at the 8 for reasons I will delve into below.
Bruno’s biggest strengths with the ball are his dribbling and his passing. Clearly this is the type of midfielder that Arsenal are looking for, as every prospect on this list shares those traits. He has a great understanding of space and angles, allowing him to use delicate touches of the ball to remove defenders from his path. He is not the fastest player on the pitch, but uses his strength and guile to make these long dribbles forward. He has a great right foot for passing, and a nose for an incisive pass, as reflected by his 89th percentile in shot creating actions. It is rare that he operates as a 6 in the way that Zubimendi or Partey do. While he is good under pressure, he rarely uses his weaker left foot, which limits his effectiveness as a true 6 in my opinion.
I love this clip because I have visions of Martin Ødegaard slipping Saka the same type of pass and like to think of how much Martinelli might benefit from a passer of this caliber playing the 8 on his side. It’s a small detail, but the he hesitates at first to draw Mainoo in and then takes a slight tough around him just to change the angle, which shows a great understanding of space.
This pass shows just how deadly he can be in the final third. He floats a wonderfully weighted ball to the right winger for a chance on goal. In one pass he takes out 8 tightly packed defenders. This type of defensive setup is something that Arsenal see quite often, and this is the type of pass that Granit Xhaka had added to his locker (his assist to Jesus in the Brentford away fixture comes to mind). Although He definitely needs to work on his weak foot, there are no doubts about Bruno’s ability on the ball.
Bruno’s defensive ability worries me a bit if he were to play the 6. I hesitate to call him a 6 because it is almost as if each Newcastle midfielder is responsible for a horizontal area of the pitch rather than a traditional vertical one. What I mean by this is that when watching their games near the end of the season against Brentford and Brighton, he winds up pressing really high when the opposition plays it to their defensive midfielder. He loves to press players when they have their back to goal, and is really aggressive in doing so.
These are two instances where Bruno successfully wins the ball. However, the more common outcome of these aggressive tackles is a foul either because he goes in too hard, or because his athleticism fails him and he is forced to make a tactical foul. Sometimes the tactical-ness of the foul is quite questionable, as seen below
While the clip above is an extreme, it does expose a flaw in his game. He wouldn’t be asked to do quite this much pressing as a 6 at Arsenal, but I’d be worried about how much ground he’d have to cover. A lot of these errors are a result of him not being able to get to the opposition player fast enough. Partey already struggles with this sometimes which leaves fans frustrated. I personally had flashbacks of KDB outpacing Partey to open the scoring at the Etihad in 2023 analyzing his athleticism. He’s a good tackler, but I do not love his overall defensive game.
Overall, I think Bruno is a good player. An 80M pound player, maybe, but only if he were played as an 8, which he admits is where he likes to play. It just would not make sense to me to play someone with Bruno’s offensive ability at the 6, and Rice’s defensive ability at the 8. Throw in the fact that he’s kind of an asshole and might not be the perfect fit for the squad’s morale, I think there are better deals to be done. I promise that I’ll get to a player or two that I think would be great pieces of business for Arsenal, but I just don’t think this one would be. Once again I’ll reiterate that whatever Arteta and Edu decide is the right choice for the squad and I’ll be 100% behind it as they have given me no reason not to be, but I can remain skeptical until it’s official.
Up next is Frenkie De Jong. Currently playing for the finanical plagued Catalan giants Barcelona, FDJ is rumored to be available for sale this summer for around 70M pounds. The 27 year-old dutch player was highly touted to become one of the next great midfielders when he transferred out of Ajax in 2019, but he just has always remained surplus to requirements at FCB. Even for such an experienced player there is some confusion about where his best position is. He’s been tried a number of times by a number of coaches as a single pivot, but they all end up playing him elsewhere. Ronald Koeman, who has coached him for Barcelona and the Dutch national team, is convinced that Frenkie must be played in a double pivot to get the best out of him. While I don’t necessarily disagree, Arsenal don’t usually employ that strategy, so he’d have to be used in another way. Arteta could change his tactical setup, but I don’t see the benefit of him doing that for one player, and I doubt he would. According to the reliable @teamnewsandtix on Twitter, De Jong is a player Arteta loves, so he must have a plan for the player should they get him.
If you’ve watched football regularly, you most likely have some idea of what Frenkie De Jong is about. His ball retention is top notch and he has world class ability to cut open a defense via dribble or pass.
As you can see he is right up there with the elite passers on Arsenal and in the world in terms of progressive passing as pass completion. Some of the passes he completes are simply ridiculous and a joy to watch. Just looking at a few games and a few highlights there are endless examples to pick from.
I want to demonstrate his ability to break down a low block, something that I’ve pointed out that Arsenal need to get better at. I’m think that if I didn’t markup this picture and asked who Frenkie would pass it to, 2/3 of people at least would get it wrong. The opposition are playing a very low block, and Frenkie is offered three pretty simple passes, all out to his right. Look at the body position of every defender, they are prepared for FDJ to pop a pass out to the right, which means there will be a little more space if he can play a pass back towards the left, and I think he recognizes that. He pass over the top of three lines of defense for what should’ve been an assist, but if you’ve watched Barcelona play, you know they are a bit wasteful.
This is from the same game, and the same low block. He receives a pass back from his teammate, who he sees take off. The key thing here is he sees the run of his teammate, and he understands that the low block is stagnant. He knows that if he can hit his runner at the right time, the runner will be in behind. There isn’t a ton of time for him to set up a perfect pass, so he quickly clips a trivela pass over the top of the entire opposition team. It’s a ridiculous pass and that type of mental processing is something that few players have.
This last clip displays another aspect of every elite passer’s game. To some, this may just look like a flair pass that he played just to add a little spice to the game and show off. But it’s more than that. His turn is silky, but the weight of the pass to him is a little soft, which allows the defender he turned to recover quickly and position himself back in front of him. If he simply just turns and passes the defender probably cuts out the pass. But Frenkie is one step ahead, and the small role backwards freezes the defender just slightly, meaning the passing lane is clear. This is so Ødegaard-esque and really shows his understanding of space, and the consequence that every movement of the ball has on that space.
I admittedly had too much fun researching his passes and I left little time to discuss his dribbling ability. If you’ve watched him play, you no doubt know that his signature move is a little hip drop turn where he fakes as if he’s turning over his left shoulder, and spins back right with he outside of his right foot. Defenders should know it’s coming, but it works almost every time. He is nearly impossible to put under pressure. He’s also been known to make similar long striding runs forwards to Declan Rice.
The one interesting thing about the player is the time he takes on the ball. Watching him play, you notice he often holds the ball for a long period of time. I say interesting because I can’t tell if it’s a good or bad thing. I don’t really think he dwells on it, I think he is just looking to be incisive, but it can sometimes hurt his team’s structure. Overall he is an exquisite offensive player and would greatly improve the team’s ability to breakdown low blocks.
Unfortunately, Frenkie’s overall defensive ability is probably what has held him back form becoming the world beater that he was tipped to grow into. Statistics-wise, there isn’t really anything that jumps out at you positively. I don’t think that he has very good positional awareness when playing as a lone pivot. His tackling is fine, but he’s rarely in position to make a tackle. He is just in the 5th percentile for dribblers tackled per 90, and the 30th percentile for tackle success rate. He also has a tendency to switch off. Let’s look at an example.
First off I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, as he has a ton of space to cover. Gavi is being his aggressive self putting pressure on the ball, and Oriol Romeu has been dragged very far wide. But Frenkie just never looks behind him and sees the player behind him. He ball watches for a solid 5 seconds before the pass is played.
Someone from the defense definitely could’ve communicated that to him but at the end of the day while he was responsible for a lot of space, there was only one player in that space and he was behind him, and Frenkie failed to see him, and doesn’t put much effort in to correct for that error in the ensuing action. Now as I pointed out, Barcelona are a bit stretched here and in general, they play with looser tactics that Arsenal. You almost never see any midfielder on Arsenal responsible for this much space. I think with some more tactical rigidity and larger emphasis on duels, Frenkie could improve his defensive awareness and work-rate. He is also in the 81st percentile for both tackles made in the final and middle thirds, which could point to some potential success in a press such as Arsenal’s
For me, this is possibly the perfect player for that left 8 position for Arsenal to take them to the next level. Imposing enough at 5’11”, the ability to break down low blocks with his passing and creativity, or blow past defenders with his superb dribbling and ball retention skills provide a unique blend of Ødegaard and Rice, the perfect player to join those two. The biggest downside is his age, as he is 27 now and will be 28 in October. He also missed a lot of time with 3 ankle injuries this season. Arsenal are looking to replace Thomas Partey, not find Partey 2.0. But overall, I really do think that this is the level raising player that Arsenal are looking for. On paper, Ødeagaard, FDJ and Rice just might be the best midfield in Europe. Combine that with a potent attack scoring 91 premier league goals, and a defense that only gave up 29 while not having Jurrien Timber, and there is little that could stop that team.
Besides Frenkie De Jong, this might be my second favorite player on the list. My apologies for making you as the reader wait until the end to find my favorite players, but that’s just how the chips fell. Le Fée is probably not known by the majority of fans, so let me introduce you. The Frenchman is 5’7” and 24 years old, but plays with physicality. He’s got the offensive and defensive ability to play box-to-box. The trademark of his game is his quick passing, but there is a lot to like as the stats suggest. His footballing intelligence is off the charts and with a market value of just 18M euros, it would be a low risk, high reward transfer.
If you just went off of G/A output, which sadly a lot of casual fans do these days, you might immediately write off Le Fée off. Although he is in the 60th percentile for goals and assists, he finished with just 5 assists and no goals. However, this is a player that is superb offensively both on the ball and off of it. One thing that has been proven to set amateur midfielders apart from professionals is scanning. Scanning for those who may not know is the act of looking over your shoulder to take in information on what is behind you and where the defenders are. This sounds fairly simple, but it’s pretty difficult to do effectively, but Enzo is unbelievable with the timing of his scans, and actually processing the information and forming a plan. Here’s an example:
Enzo starts this clip in the middle of 4 defenders. He already knows that the left winger is next to him on his right, so he scans over his left shoulder to find his striker and check the defense. The timing of his scan is crucial, as it occurs when the ball carrier takes a heavy touch. Enzo knows that he can’t play a pass with the ball away from his feet, so he knows he has time to make a quick scan. With the information he’s gathered. He knows his striker is open, but he doesn’t have a lot of time to get him the ball, so he just flicks it to him in one touch. He also knows the outside back will crash when he gets the ball, so he invites him in by receiving the pass and spins away. The return pass was poor, but that doesn’t take away from Enzo’s brilliance in this action.
Here Rennes are building out of the back, and one of the center backs has the ball. Enzo scans and sees that his defender is over his right shoulder. He also recognizes that there is a lot of space behind the opposition right winger. The winger steps up to defend the Rennes left back, so Enzo receives the ball in the second image. His first touch appears to not be great, but I think it’s a deliberate attempt to draw his defender in. He shows him the ball to invite a challenge before taking a big touch into space and scampering away. He’s now got acres of space to attack, all because of his understanding of the game.

Here he uses his exceptional range of passing to put a teammate through. His passing is excellent, whether it be cross-field switches or incisive through-balls, his technique is always sublime. Here he looks towards the center of the field as he’s receiving the ball. He sees one teammate jogging towards him, and notices the right-center back for the opposition following him. He knows this run will open up space for the striker farther away, so he curves a one time pass just out of reach of the defense to his teammate. Ranking in better than the 85th percentile in progressive passing distance, passes into the final third, and passes into the penalty area, he specializes in line-cutting passes such as this one. This ability would come in handy for a team like Arsenal who often face low blocks.
Listed at just 5’7” and 143 lbs, Le Fée’s stature could be classified as diminutive. However, he makes up for it with strength and tenacity on the defensive side of the ball and his footballing intelligence helps him as well. What stood out to me most was his tackling. The above figure compares progressive passes per 90 and tackles + interceptions per90, and Enzo ranks very well. He often makes tackles by the sideline while covering for his winger, using the line to his advantage. He’s very aggressive, sometimes too much so. He’s by no means an elite defender like a Declan Rice, but that’s why he’s an 8. He can do a very solid job when asked. His tenacity and football intelligence would allow him to pick up the nuances of Arsenal’s press with ease.
The downside to Enzo is that he hasn’t played at the highest level yet. When looking at player who plays at a lower level club like Rennes (no offense to Rennes), there are a few things that I like to look for to judge whether or not they can make the jump to the absolute highest level. The first thing would be the player’s G/A output. Le Fée doesn’t really have that, but as a center-mid, I’m willing to cut him some slack. The next question that needs to be answer is whether or not the player looks a cut above those that he’s playing with. In my opinion, Enzo passes this test with flying colors. He is so clearly two steps ahead of everyone else on the pitch. Sometimes he plays passes that his teammates aren’t even ready for because he’s the only one that thought about. He looks like a player that could explode at a top team, and Arsenal could be that team. They have the perfect opening for him, but they may elect for someone a little more proven in this later stage of their “project”. I personally wouldn’t hesitate to take the risk.
| Player | Ideal Pos. | Pros | Cons | Price (pounds) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Zubimendi | 6 | + Plays 6 now + Passing |
- Little Desire to leave Spain - Physicality |
60M |
| Joao Neves | 6 | + Ball Retention + Tackling |
- Phyiscality - Inexperience |
80M |
| Bruno Guimarāes | 8 | + Passing + Dribbling |
- Defending - Atleticism |
80M |
| Frenkie De Jong | 8 | + Ball Retention + Dribbling |
- Age - Defensive Awarness |
70M |
| Enzo Le Fee | 8 | + Intelligence + Tackling |
- G/A Output - Competition Level |
25-30M |
Having a complete midfield is necessary for teams that want to control games in the way that Arsenal do. With certain players at the club failing to lock down one of those positions, and others aging quickly, Arsenal will need at least one reinforcement this summer, with perhaps more down the line. Luckily for them, there are plenty of options to choose from. Martin Zubimendi looks like a pure single pivot with a very similar skill set to Thomas Partey. If they can convince the player that Arsenal is the best spot for him, he could be a solid addition. João Neves loves to control games from the 6 position by getting on the ball as much as possible. As one of the best midfield prospects in the world, he will likely command a fee in excess of 100M euros, a fee that Arsenal may be reluctant to pay.
If Arsenal decide to move Declan Rice back to the 6 (which I believe they should), there are a number of more attacking minded players available. Bruno Guimaraes has experience as both a 6 and an 8, but I believe his passing skills and lack of defensive ability make him better suited as an 8, but I think there are better options. The aging Frenkie De Jong is still a world class midfielder who is exceptional at progressing the ball and breaking down defenses. If Arsenal feel he has 4-5 good years left in him, then I wouldn’t hesitate as FDJ is clearly a level raiser for this midfield. And finally, while I have not seen any links to him, Enzo Le Fée is a player that I have admired for a long time. With a footballing intelligence that few can boast, combined with silky passing skills and a tenacity defensively, I believe he may be exactly what Arsenal need, while also saving them a tens of millions of euros.
Arsenal have proven to be solid decision makers when it comes to transfers in the past. I also think that Arteta does a great job setting players up for success and creating an environment where it is easy for players to reach there full potential. This is an important window for Arsenal to finally get over the hump that is winning the Premier League, and a new midfielder might just be what it takes.